Whenever you think of the Marvel movies, you probably think of anything that came since 2008 when Iron Man was released. Or maybe you think of Fox and their X-Men movies which are now called “Legacy” movies following the acquisition by Disney. But Marvel has been converting their property to screen since the 1940s with their Captain America serials released by Republic Pictures then through the 70s and 90s with Marvel Entertainment Group. So here are the essential top 10 Marvel Movies, drawing from anything under the "Marvel" banner.

How did I come up with this list? Some ground rules: First, the movie had to be a full-length feature, so no shorts or serials. Second, the movie has to be directly related to Marvel comics, so, unfortunately, no Men in Black or Kickass. And finally, the movie had to be live-action, so don’t get mad when Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse is not on this list. I will keep everything spoiler-free if you want to go back and watch.

10 – Doctor Strange (2016)

A visual stunner of a movie. Involving Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular hero Doctor Stephen Strange and the scene-stealing Benedict Wong as Wong. The film concerns a brilliant albeit egotistical NYC Doctor who, after suffering a near-fatal car crash, loses the use of his hands but, through the meeting of the enigmatic Ancient One, not only regains the use of his hands but is thrust into protecting the earth from sinister sources. A visual stunner that should be enjoyed on a large screen or in a theatre with 3D, the movie provided great action and a solid story.

9 – Deadpool (2016)

From Fox studios comes the R-Rated comic book film featuring the Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds plays the main hero and truly brings the character to life. The film follows Deadpool’s origin story in only a way he could with superhero antics, comedy, and the occasional 4th wall breaking. Deadpool also showed that you could put out a more adult product with lots of sex, blood, and violence, and it works.

8 – Avengers: End Game (2019)

In a movie that closed out Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this sweeping epic combined all the heroes who came before to bring down the villain Thanos, who wiped out half the galaxy with the snap of his gloved hand in the first part; Avengers: Infinity War. The Avengers, led by Captain America and pieces of other teams like The Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel, fight to reverse the snap and restore order. Not only was this movie a box office smash, but set up for future movies and series. Exciting action, great story, and honestly, a couple of tears make this a quintessential Marvel movie.

7 – Guardian of the Galaxy: Volume 2 (2017)

The first Guardians movie was great but, in our sequel, the Guardians led by Peter Quill (Chris Pratt in a beautiful piece of casting) and his team take on the bad guy; Ego and once again save the galaxy. Similarly, a visual masterpiece and fantastic story with action and some heart (Mary Poppins, Y’all!) made for a box office and fan success. Add the amazing soundtrack, and you have a great film.

6 – Thor: Ragnorok (2017)

Following the ending of Guardians 2 in the post-credit scene, we get a glimpse of this movie. Thor returns for the third time in a movie that provides a rich mix of action and comedy. Brought to us by the truly unique mind of Taika Waitaki, Thor is displaced from Asgard (again?) and must fight his way back.

5 – Spider-Man (2002)

I remember when the first Spider-Man came out with Tobey Maguire, I literally watched it twice in the same day. I was excited to see a big-name hero come to the big screen. Tobey Maguire seems to have been born to play the role. He played the character of Peter Parker to perfection, a blend of nerdiness and awkwardness as he is Peter Parker but able to command the screen as Spider-Man. The movie is the origin story of Spider-Man and his first nemesis, the Green Goblin. It was well written and acted by everyone; it truly set the stage for comic book films as a grand spectacle.

4 – Black Panther (2018)

From the cold open, to the ending credits, this movie is absolutely amazing. We were first introduced to the Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War, played by the beautifully casted Chadwick Boseman, who plays the leader of the Wakandans, T’Challa, and their defender, the Black Panther. The solo movie opens the world of Wakanda with great cinematography and dynamic acting, not only from Boseman but the bad guy, Erik Killmonger played by Michal B. Jordan and the rest of the supporting cast. Unfortunately, we lost Chadwick so soon, as it would have been amazing to see where they would have taken the role and the franchise.

3 – Blade (1998)

Previous to this, many comic book movies were straight to video stuff or so niche that only true fans ever wanted to watch. But the public really took to this movie as a vampire to silver (explosive). Blade, an R-Rated film, follows the eponymous character, a half-vampire/half-human, as he battles vampires. The movie had fantastic action sequences played well by long-time action star Wesley Snipes and a formidable, scenery-chewing villain, Deacon Frost, played by Stephen Dorff. In addition, the film defined how you transfer comics to the big screen with its layout and story development. If you remember anything from this movie, remember that opening scene in the vampire nightclub, which set the tone for the entire movie.

2 – Logan (2017)

No actor has become more synonymous with a superhero character or role than Hugh Jackman and Wolverine. Logan was a culmination of his entire career as Wolverine, and a love letter to the fans as an era was put to rest. The film takes place in the not too distant future involving the aging Wolverine, who is thrust back into the spotlight to save a new mutant who shares some familiar traits. The visuals were amazing, the story was well told, and the ending was a perfect send-off to a staple in the Marvel movie universe.

1 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

We have finally made our way to the top of the list! In the sequel to 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, we follow Steve Rogers as he uncovers a nefarious plot led by people he thought he could trust and the return of a friend who was supposed to be lost. The story was a complete tonal shift from the previous superhero movies Marvel had put out, before focusing more on the spy/thriller aspect, which really appealed to me and showed that you don’t need mind-blowing action sequences to be in your face the entire time and that story can make up for it.

So, what do you think? Is there any movie you feel was left off the list? Or would you rank some higher? Feel free to let me know.

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